In Plain Sight
by AngelRose7
Summary: Because sometimes ANYONE is allowed to just be in love; even if your name is Eddie Jenko!


In Plain Sight

Slipping the ring off her finger, Eddie angrily wiped a tear from her cheek. Jamie mustn't see her cry. It was just dumb. Hands shaking, she dropped the box she was trying to open. She bent to pick it up quickly, but before she straightened up, her heart crashed through the floor as she felt a loving touch on her back:

"Eddie? Hey, what's wrong?! Shh! It's ok!" The alarm in Jamie's voice stung her.

"Nothing, it's ok; we'll be late & you know we can't arrive together." She tried to hurry him on.

Jamie however was having none of it:

"Eddie, we have time & if we don't we'll make it; you can't just stand there crying & expect me to ignore it. Talk to me Eddie."

As he spoke, Jamie's mind was whirring. Sure, they were having a tough time at the 2-9, but they were coping, things were getting better, weren't they? It had been four months at the 2-9 & 5 months engaged & he'd thought things personally were going great. They'd just spent their day's off (a mid-week 'weekend', Tuesday & Wednesday) together, a great date night at a basketball game & yes, a lot of it in bed, but Jamie went out of his way for their off duty time not to be JUST that. So what was it?

Eddie turned away:

"It's ok Jamie, leave it. I'll be fine. Please!"

"No can do Eddie; talk to me, there's NOTHING you can say that I can't hear. I love you Eddie."

Eddie broke down:

"It's dumb; stupid. Girl stuff!"

Jamie was more confused than ever, he knew it couldn't be her cycle (one look at the bed they hadn't made told you that) & he knew Eddie, at her own insistence took care of being 'careful' so not that, surely?

"Eddie, PLEASE, baby?!"

"Ok, ok; I HATE taking my ring off ok?! See, dumb!" she tried to snap, but it didn't work.

He sighed, both relieved & saddened:

"Eddie, you want to keep your ring safe, you decided yourself, I understand, I'm fine with that Eddie."

"I'm not Jamie, it needs to be this way, the 12th or the 29th, it doesn't matter, the ring stays here, but I hate it. I hate feeling like I'm turning my back on you, hate denying you, hate denying I love you; I hate feeling like I'm 'cheating' on you with the job."

Jamie pulled her into his arms, blinking back tears:

"Eddie, not once have I ever felt denied by you. Listen to me, not for one single second have I EVER felt unloved by you. NEVER! I know you love me; I swear. As for the job, it can be tough, but it is not all there is; the job has no soul Eddie. Don't make it 'someone' Eddie, it's not. You're NOT cheating on me with the job; ok?"

"But…"

"But nothing Eddie; stop torturing yourself, PLEASE!" he begged

Eddie simple sobbed.

A week later

Jamie tapped his pocket. God, he hoped this worked! He hoped she'd see what he was trying to do. He let himself in. Eddie's car was already in its usual spot. He'd felt a tiny bit guilty telling a white lie about helping Erin, but he hoped he might be forgiven once Eddie realised why.

"Eddie?!" He called

"Kitchen!" her voice floated to him through the apartment.

He grinned as she shrugged off his jacket & grabbed a bottle of the best wine in the rack. He walked up behind her, put the bottle down & kissed her neck:

"Hey Sweetheart. Missed you."

"Jamie, it's only been two hours!" she giggled as she turned in his arms.

"1 hour, 59 minutes too long."

He stopped any reply with a kiss. It did his ego good to hear her whimper into it. He pulled back & grinned:

"I bought you something." He offered her a small, velvet box.

"You don't need to buy me things, Jamie."

"I wanted to."

She opened the box & beamed. There lay a small pair of diamond, heart-shaped studs.

"Oh wow, Jamie, they're stunning! Thank you!"

They kissed again.

"I thought maybe you could wear them on duty." He suggested shyly

Her eyes shone.

"As long as you always put my ring back on for me?"

"Deal!"

It was late that night when they remembered the wine.

Six months later

Friends & beat partners Eddie & Maya were on the third shout of an 8 til 4 when Maya noticed:

"Jenko, you're missing a stud."

Eddie gasped, reached up, felt nothing in her left ear & her heart flipped.

"Oh damn!"

Maya heard the wavier in Eddie's voice:

"A gift?"

Eddie nodded, patting down her jacket frantically. Maya was surprised:

"Easy Eddie, no rip, it will have come out somehow. If not your jacket, your vest will get it. It's happened to me a few times; don't worry."

She was stunned to see tears in the eyes of a tough cookie like Jenko. The blonde officer was muttering what sounded like:

"If he sees me without them, oh my God!"

The penny dropped for Maya with the force of a dropped boom mike.

"Eddie calm down, take the other one out."

Maya could see Eddie's hands shaking. They were pulling up to the job.

"Meal break I'm calling you on this Jenko. We find it & you spill. What's said in the car stays in the car, I swear, but you ARE telling me the truth Eddie."

Eddie nodded; she'd had enough hiding anyway.

It seemed forever til meal.

Eventually Maya called meal. Once cleared, they pulled up & checked the front seat & the foot-well. No joy. It wasn't until Eddie went to take her jacket off, that Maya saw a flash:

"Eddie, it's in your radio clip; here I'll get it."

Maya caught it before it fell again.

"Thanks." Eddie said unsteadily.

"Thanks my six; what the hell is going on, Jenko?!"

Eddie put the studs back in.

"Well, you know I came over with the Sarge?

"Yeah." Maya nodded.

"You know I sometimes call him Jamie when you & I are chatting here?"

"You were partners for 4 years, it's natural." Maya smiled.

"You need to be SURE you want to hear this Maya; you can't ever unhear it."

"Eddie I am SURE! Did he pull rank on you because of Daddy?"

"No Maya; you said WERE partners…"

Maya's jaw fell.

"SHUT UP! The gossip was RIGHT?! You two, all along?! But he's as tough on you as he is on us!""

Eddie nodded:

"Yep, of course. He can't do anything else. You CAN'T tell, PLEASE Maya! Jamie would loose EVERYTHING, please?!"

"But his family?!

"OUR family!"

"Holy CRAP Eddie! So the studs?"

"PLEASE, PLEASE, Maya; you can't say! Swear?! I'll leave the department tonight if you don't!"

"What do you think I am Eddie?! Of COURSE I'm not going to ruin my partner's life, because she fell in love with a single guy before we met! I swear!" her hand was over her shield.

Eddie went almost faint with relief.

Maya's eyes were wide:

"I still don't get the studs though?"

"I can't exactly wear my ring, can I?!"

It was now Maya's turn to feel faint as she and Eddie smiled.


End file.
